Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Food pantry will help NOVA students

The food pantry is supported with donations from the college
and the community. It’s in the C-F building and will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. It serves the surrounding community, not just students.

There are students at NOVA who can’t afford to eat
regularly, says Jacintha Jayatilake, an economics professor and faculty sponsor
of the Roteract Club.

“Food insecurity is an issue that’s not talked about too
often,” but it does exist among the NOVA community,” says Jayatilake. Nationwide,
about 34 percent of college students have experienced food insecurity, although
there isn’t data on this for NOVA. There are homeless students at NOVA, too. She has heard of a student living in a
car; others move frequently from one friend’s couch to another.

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